3 female bettas in a 10 gallon

[Auryn1026]

I have 3 female bettas in a ten gallon with 2 hob filters on a low output setting. I originally had 4 bettas but recently lost one due to an unknown illness that we believed to be swim bladder disease. They are in a moderately planted tank with 2 large amazons in it and various other plants like java fern on driftwood.

The water perams are always amo 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 5-10, and pH 6.8. There's a little bit of an algae problem but I am trying to cut down on it by only lighting the tank for 8 hrs/day.

My question is this: The bettas seem bored and used to seem to enjoy swimming around with the tetras in the larger tank they used to be in. Should I add some company to their tank? If so, what and how many could I add? They just seemed to be so much more lively and active when they had tankmates.

Any advice at all would be appreciated. I LOVE my fish and want them to be happy.

[blackwolfXKAV]

add a ping pong ball.

[fishcatch22]

add more plants like java moss. they love to explore in it.

[DarkEntity]

I have 3 female bettas in a ten gallon with 2 hob filters on a low output setting. I originally had 4 bettas but recently lost one due to an unknown illness that we believed to be swim bladder disease. They are in a moderately planted tank with 2 large amazons in it and various other plants like java fern on driftwood.

The water perams are always amo 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 5-10, and pH 6.8. There's a little bit of an algae problem but I am trying to cut down on it by only lighting the tank for 8 hrs/day.

My question is this: The bettas seem bored and used to seem to enjoy swimming around with the tetras in the larger tank they used to be in. Should I add some company to their tank? If so, what and how many could I add? They just seemed to be so much more lively and active when they had tankmates.

Any advice at all would be appreciated. I LOVE my fish and want them to be happy.

To remove the algae add some algae balls, stupid as it sounds a tank generally will only support one.

[mreman]

Im intrigued...what is an algae ball??

[webcricket]

I have algae balls in my planted tanks, and I can tell you that they do nothing to eliminate the other algae. ;)

Algae/Marimo balls are Cladophora aegagropila, a type of hair algae. The type that forms the balls is a non-invasive cladophora.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/WebCricket/IMG_0832.jpg

[dwarfgourami7]

3 female bettas in a 10 gal. I dont think that right sure it may seem like it but you want them to be as happy as possible so get a bigger tank. At the moment they havent got much swimming space and they will be to close together all the time. I dont like it.

[echoofformless]

Bettas aren't that interested in swimming space. I feel that ten gallons is perfectly sufficient for three bettas.

However bettas, even the females, don't like living with other bettas. I would worry more about aggression than swimming space.

[dwarfgourami7]

Yes maybe they arn't intrested in swimming space but its nice to give them the option if they want to have a good swim. I just don't like the idea of them in a small tank all the time together. Sure they can but why does that mean we should put them in that situation?

[echoofformless]

I wouldn't put them in that situation. Maybe in a 55g or so I would keep three females together.

[dwarfgourami7]

Exactly, i just dont think its fair we force them in it as im sure if they had a choice they would always go for bigger.

[echoofformless]

True...but I was talking more of keeping the three of them in a way of avoiding aggression.

I know of betta keepers who have experienced bettas being less happy in larger tanks than in smaller ones. But it always depends on the betta. They're so variable. They're weird people.

[Aussie_hippie_2]

I have 2 female bettas in a 10 gallon and they're doing fine. They're the friendliest little creatures and the habitat is perfect for them IMO. dwarfgourami7 go ahead and bite my head off, but I know what's right for my little bettas. And I'll be getting a third soon.

BTW, I turned on the lights late one night and the two bettas had slid in between a rock and the glass and were sleeping together. It was very sweet. :)

[echoofformless]

I have 2 female bettas in a 10 gallon and they're doing fine. They're the friendliest little creatures and the habitat is perfect for them IMO. dwarfgourami7 go ahead and bite my head off, but I know what's right for my little bettas. And I'll be getting a third soon.

BTW, I turned on the lights late one night and the two bettas had slid in between a rock and the glass and were sleeping together. It was very sweet. :)

That is very sweet. Female bettas are my favorite fish of all time. They seem to have an intellect and emotional depth.

Personally I feel that people make far too big of a deal about tank sizes. The same wisdom that goes for a large, messy fish or those who require a large school cannot be applied to calm solitary fish. Bettas don't need a lot of space. Some of them might like it a little, but it's not much different than a human. Many of us can live happily in a small apartment while others will feel cramped unless they're in a palace.

For the most part, I keep my bettas in very small vessels and never have I noticed any of them to be the slightest bit unhappy. No less happy than the ones in larger vessels.

If you give them a bed of java moss, they will be especially lazy and cute.

[5TankHarmony]

I have 3 female bettas in a ten gallon with 2 hob filters on a low output setting. I originally had 4 bettas but recently lost one due to an unknown illness that we believed to be swim bladder disease. They are in a moderately planted tank with 2 large amazons in it and various other plants like java fern on driftwood.

The water perams are always amo 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 5-10, and pH 6.8. There's a little bit of an algae problem but I am trying to cut down on it by only lighting the tank for 8 hrs/day.

My question is this: The bettas seem bored and used to seem to enjoy swimming around with the tetras in the larger tank they used to be in. Should I add some company to their tank? If so, what and how many could I add? They just seemed to be so much more lively and active when they had tankmates.

Any advice at all would be appreciated. I LOVE my fish and want them to be happy.
Hmm. This is the first time I've heard of a 10g with two HOB filters. Didn't know anyone did that...

[icecubez189]

dwarfgourami7, if your concerned about a fish's swimming space, i hope you know that your rainbow shark will outgrow (if not, be stunted) in a 30G tank.

IMO, 3 females in a 10G is perfectly fine. only thing i would be worried about it agression between them, but as long as theres hiding places such as plants, driftwood, or decor. in fact, 4 would work as the females will better establish a pecking order and eventually live nicely together.

[iluvfish89]

Well, from what I've learned in animal care with fish it is an inch per gallon. Don't bettas usually get up to 4 inches. So it should be larger, they may feel crowded. So I would get maybe a 20 gallon that seems pretty good.

[icecubez189]

Well, from what I've learned in animal care with fish it is an inch per gallon. Don't bettas usually get up to 4 inches. So it should be larger, they may feel crowded. So I would get maybe a 20 gallon that seems pretty good.

hi, welcome to AC. unfortunately, the 1 inch per gallon rule is flawed, if not useless alltogether. the only use for it is with small tropical fish. even then, i would be wary of it. theres much more to stocking fish than just size. (you have to take into account what species they are, how much of a bioload they will present, etc).

if people started to use the 1 inch per gallon rule, they would stock a 10G with a 10 inch oscar, which is a disaster waiting to happen.

also, bettas stay small, around 2-3 inches, especially female ones.

[echoofformless]

Well, from what I've learned in animal care with fish it is an inch per gallon. Don't bettas usually get up to 4 inches. So it should be larger, they may feel crowded. So I would get maybe a 20 gallon that seems pretty good.


The inch per gallon theory is largely untrue. There are too many variables from species to species and from tank to tank for such broad generalizations to be applicable.

Bettas for example are not strong swimmers, nor do they often show a desire for exploration. They generally like to just relax and stare at things. They like tanks with less current than normal - they have a labyrinth organ so they can breathe air and thus don't require heavy oxygenation.

Compare that to say, zebra danios. These fish do best in a school and are very active swimmers. They would actually do better in a 20g or larger even though they are so tiny.

So again, too many variables for that rule - bettas being a fish that don't require much space at all.

[iluvfish89]

OHHH I'm so telling my teacher about that one lmfao, thanks for the warm welcome ^_^. Also thanks for the info on the untrue 1 inch per gallon rule.

[Aussie_hippie_2]

That is very sweet. Female bettas are my favorite fish of all time. They seem to have an intellect and emotional depth.

Personally I feel that people make far too big of a deal about tank sizes. The same wisdom that goes for a large, messy fish or those who require a large school cannot be applied to calm solitary fish. Bettas don't need a lot of space. Some of them might like it a little, but it's not much different than a human. Many of us can live happily in a small apartment while others will feel cramped unless they're in a palace.

For the most part, I keep my bettas in very small vessels and never have I noticed any of them to be the slightest bit unhappy. No less happy than the ones in larger vessels.

If you give them a bed of java moss, they will be especially lazy and cute.

I've got some Java moss coming in the mail. I'm sure the bettas and my DP (separate tank of course) will absolutly love it. I can't wait.

[fballguy]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/WebCricket/IMG_0832.jpg

:OT: OMFG this is what my LFS sold to me as java moss!!! I spent 10 bucks on a ball of hair algae!? @#$%&*%$&*$@$#$%$@#!@#$%&**$##$%%*!!!
:rant2:


I am going to hurt myself now. Then go yell at the LFS.

[Aussie_hippie_2]

Well it is kinda pretty if that's any consolation. Sorry for having a little giggle over that :Angel: .

[echoofformless]

:OT: OMFG this is what my LFS sold to me as java moss!!! I spent 10 bucks on a ball of hair algae!? @#$%&*%$&*$@$#$%$@#!@#$%&**$##$%%*!!!
:rant2:


I am going to hurt myself now. Then go yell at the LFS.


Those are marimo balls. They are very nice to have.

But they usually cost about $5-7 US. So you overpaid a bit...but not by that much. Enjoy them.

[SHK_ATK]

If you give them a bed of java moss, they will be especially lazy and cute.
can anyone post a pick of java moss i would like to get some for my 2F bettas, (i want to compare it) :)

[echoofformless]

can anyone post a pick of java moss i would like to get some for my 2F bettas, (i want to compare it) :)

Here you go - tried to get a shot of my sexy girl being lazy on her java moss and driftwood bed...but the camera's batteries died before I can lower the f-stop. I tried to brighten it a bit...hopefully it's good for now. (Yes she is the little red blur.)

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/6338/fatfishies036il0.jpg

[echoofformless]

Oh and here's a quick detail another from a picture I took yesterday. I am letting it get unruly on my driftwood for naturalization purposes. You can cultivate it too...it's very versatile and fun stuff, though can be a bit messy.

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/251/fatfishies040wd3.jpg

[SHK_ATK]

Ahhhhh Muchas Gracias :bowing:

[fballguy]

beautiful tank Echo!

Unfortunatly I cut up the marimo ball or whatever you call it because I thought it was java moss and so I tried to make a carpet out of it.(that was 2 months ago) When That didn't work I tied it all to a piece of driftwood. I guess tomorrow I will untie it and see if I can get them to grow as balls again. If all goes well I will have about 20 golfball size algae balls in a couple of months.

Luckily I do have actual java moss now and I am very pleased with it so far.


Oh yea 1 good thing did come from the algae. It somehow spread to my plastic stump and is taking it over.

[NinjaPirate]

3 female bettas in a 10 gal. I dont think that right sure it may seem like it but you want them to be as happy as possible so get a bigger tank. At the moment they havent got much swimming space and they will be to close together all the time. I dont like it.


More than enough swimming space. Bettas "care" about swimming space, but with female betta groups, it's more about aggression and bioload than it is space requirements. They will establish a pecking order, so as long as your tank is busy enough for them (plants, caves, etc. etc.) they will have no problems. I generally recommend atleast 4 to a group when you buy them, because that allows aggression to spread out evenly and lessens the risk of a fish getting hurt. But 4 is about the limit I'd put on a 10G tank because of bioload issues, especially if you're wanting to run filters at lower settings.

If you've got three, and have had them together for over a week, chances are they have already established the pecking order, and adding a new female to the tank would upset the balance and start the fight all over again, so unless there is a real problem there I'd leave it at three.

As for tank mates, You could certainly throw a couple otto cats in the tank (atleast 2, single ottos die off) without having bioload issues.

As for feeling bored, it'll take them a couple weeks to "warm up" to the new tanks and get really active. You can always throw new plants (real or fake) and such in there, as that will prompt inquisitiveness in the fish.

[echoofformless]

I'm going to have to refute the idea of single otos dying off. I still have the one in my ten gallon tank whose friend died a year ago. He or she is showing no signs of stress or sadness at all after a year.

[meyerhaus]

I always put bioballs in for them to play with.

[Aussie_hippie_2]

I've got my two with a D.Gourami and a two feeder guppies. The gourami and bettas are always hanging out together. I've got some aponegaton (sp?) plants in there and they love to explore through it. I think lots of plants will give them enough things to do.


Who-de think gonna beat them bengals?

[NinjaPirate]

I'm going to have to refute the idea of single otos dying off. I still have the one in my ten gallon tank whose friend died a year ago. He or she is showing no signs of stress or sadness at all after a year.

Not saying that it always happens, just that in my (and most of the fish keepers I know) experience it happens more often than not, but when you buy in groups you tend to have better luck. Thus, I recommend getting atleast 2.